Stoops is a braver man than I to say that, at least if Texas A&M’s 41-10 beatdown of the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl is any indication. It was the ninth time in the last 10 Cotton Bowl games the SEC prevailed.

The Big 12 will get a couple of chances to fight back against the SEC in neutral-site games Saturday. Needless to say, the college football world will be watching. It might be a good time for the Big 12 to turn that recent tide around and Saturday gives them a good shot with two potentially winnable games.

Here are my picks for this weekend’s games, with point spreads freshly delivered from Vegasinsider.com.

Friday night:

Texas Tech (minus-4) 38, SMU 37: I’ve been waffling all day on my pick in this game. Maybe it was listening to Jace Amaro’s tape from last week talking about what he’s going to do in the second half that has emboldened me just a tad about Baker Mayfield …

Kansas State (minus-14) 35, North Dakota State 20: The Jake Waters era begins at “The Little Apple.” Craig Bohl’s Bison have won two straight FCS national championships and three straight against FBS opponents, but Bill Snyder’s team is a tad underrated this season.

Saturday:

West Virginia (minus-33) 41, William & Mary 10: Dana Holgorsen isn’t saying who is starting quarterback will be. Charles Sims is primed for a big debut, although it won’t start the natives burning their couches in celebration — yet.

Oklahoma State (minus-12½) 38, Mississippi State 20: Mike Gundy has a point to prove to the national pollsters. And his two quarterbacks will be throwing against a Bulldog secondary that lost both of its starting cornerbacks to the NFL Draft after last season.

Oklahoma (minus-21½) 42, Louisiana-Monroe 21: Several Sooner players have favorably compared new QB Trevor Knight to Johnny Manziel. Bob Stoops just hopes for a few defensive stops against Warhawk QB Kolton Browning, who upset Arkansas last season and nearly pulled the trick against Auburn and Baylor.

Baylor (minus-30) 48, Wofford 27: Bryce Petty guns to become the third Baylor quarterback in as many seasons to break the school passing record. An underrated Wofford offense will run the clock and keep the score relatively close — for the first half.

Iowa State (minus-9½) 27, Northern Iowa 10: No Jake Knott or A.J. Klein this season for the Cyclones. No worries. Well, at least for this one.

Texas (minus-42½) 57, New Mexico State 10: Mack Brown has been worried all week about his injured wide receivers. Take a chill pill Mack. It’s New Mexico State.

No. 12 LSU (minus-4½) 27, No. 20 TCU 17: Les Miles won’t be able to chew any grass at AT&T Stadium. His team will do the chomping for him on the field, taking advantage of their strength advantage in the trenches against the smaller Horned Frogs.